Railroad frog



P. HOFFMAN RALROAD FROG April 21, 1925. 1,534,178

Filed May 19, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 P. HOFFMAN RAILROAD FROG Filed May 19, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,A I @i lulu/W April 21, 1925.

P. HOFFMAN RAILROAD FROG Filed May 19, 1924 :5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 21, 1925e i PAUL HOFFMAN, 0F WESTERN SPRINGS, ILLINOIS.

RAILROAD rnoe.

Application filed May 19, 1924. Serial No. 714,276.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Western Springs, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railroad Frogs, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to railroad frogs, and particularly to thetype of railroad frog which has a removable portion at the section where the wheel fiangeways cross.

The wheel supporting portions of a railroad frog are worn very rapidly at the point of the frog and at the rail sections on each side of the point. This is due to the fact that when a wheel is passing over the frog, a portion of the tread surface of the wheel lies over the iangeway and thus the load carried by the wheel is supported on a raill surface of less width than the wheel supporting surface of the normal rail. As a consequence, the point of the frogwears away very rapidly, and the adjacent rail portions also are cut away due to the edge of the wheel engaging and rolling onto the side of the rail adjacent to the frog point.

The expedient of providing a frog center of hard wear-resisting metal, as manganese steel, has been employed, but notwithstanding the use of the manganese steel, the point of the frog and adjacent rail portions are still found to wear away very rapidly, thus necessitating the replacement of the frog center.

The object of the present invention is to provide in a railroad frog removable and replaceable sections at the point of the frog and adjacent wear rail sections on opposite sides of the frog point, thus permitting the worn section of the frog, whether the point or rail portion on either side thereof, to be removed and replaced by a similar portion without the renewal of the entire frog or frog center.

It is believed the invention will be understood most readily from a detailed description thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a plan View of the frog of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a .Section 01.1 the 1in@ 2-2 Qf Figurer;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is Figure l;

Figure 5 is Figure l;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Figures l and l1.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7 7 of Figure l;

Figure 8 is a section on the line 88 of Figure l;

Figure 9 is a vertical central section through the frog substantially on the line 9-9 of Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, but showing the removable point section in side ele-v vation.

Figure 10 is a section substantially on the line l0-10 of Figure l1;

Figure ll is a section substantially on the line 11h11 of Figure t;

Figure l2 is a plan view similar to Figure l, of a modified form of applicants invention;

Figure 13 is a section substantially on the line 13-13 of Figure l2;

Figure 14 is a section substantially on the line l-lil of Figure l2;

Figure l5 is a section on the line 15-15 of Figure 12;

Figure 16 is a section on the line 16-16 of Figure l2; and

Figure 17 is a section on the line 17-17 of Figure l5.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate the same parts in the several views, l0 indicates one of the rails and ll a continuation of the rail 10 on the opposite side of the iiangeway crossing. Integral with the rail 1l is the wing rail portion l2. At 13 is indicated another rail having the continuation 14, inT tegral with which is the rail wing portion l5. The frog here shown is of the type having a central portion of hard metal, as manganese steel,the manganesesteel portion being clamped between the extensions l2 and` l5 of the rails l1 and 14;. A frog of this type is commonly known as the rail bound frog. The manganese center of the frog comprises the one piece body exposed from above in the portion 16 clampedr between the rails 10 and 13, the taperin central portion 17 which terminates in t e removable al replaceable point Portion 18z the rail a section on the line 4--4 of a section on the line 5-5 of Wear portions 10 and 20 integral With the centrahportion", the vreplal'cefe-ble'rail "Wear portions' 21 "and 22 lremovably)secured between the central portion and the rail'poi tions, and the rail?Weaiportions 23-andf21l integral With the central portion. For con venience in understanding the strueti-1re,'it'l1e hard metal central portion is shown o utj and be Ween therail "10 and Wing rail 15, respectively. 'A spacing blocl 30 isf also provided betiveenthe ra`ils'11 "and 14: beyond thel end ofthe hard metal central portion ('Jfitheffrog.y

is previously explained, the point 18 and the rail -Wea'r portions'21 fand 22l on the opposite sides Athereof are replaceable. The structure and mountingfof the' point`18 will first bedescribed. The'central portion of the frogV is provided in the region yof the pointlS with adoivn'ivardly proj ecting portion 31 (Figs. 5 and 6). The port-ion 431 is ent away yto provide a` substantially rectangular' recess or 'depression in the upper face thereof, into'Whiehsnuglyfits the levcer portion of the point 18. Thus' it will be seenthat thepart'31Tforms a'sort of cradle in Which the point is secured by i'uoans of the'transversefbolts"S2-and 33. f The removable rail ivear portions :2li and 22 lare' simi-lar vinfc 'onstruetionandi mciunting,

andfonly "one of them, thereforgivillbe described inldeta-il. "-le-ferringito Figures 3,14, -5 aiid`G,Hi't-Will bevnoted that tlieirail Wear portion-22? is? provided with the" laterally Yand downwardly extending flange 3s, tlie'lloweri-edge `lofwhich rests upon the laterallyextending flange off-the rail-extension 15. ."By'lrefe'renceltoL'Figgure 11,1'it willlbenoted that the'doivnmnjdly entendin'giflai'igef25 L of the'hard central por-'tion ffthe'ffrogis loifset, asindiatedlat '35', `in thel region1 'of-fthe 'i'ea-r'ineniber"22 i111- order toI peiinitfthe flange Se of the'l Wearainember tof entend dofivnv'ardly between 1the1 central p '1i-tion* `andI the Vertical/Han-ge oflthe rail. Thus, Ithe'laterally extending 'bolts' "33 and 36""of the frog act firmly to 'cla-mp lthe flanges orl the fwear sections f Q1and 22 tetwn* thesupport' 'gfifflaingfs 25"'f'i the eentrl semen ne l erutalf'iweb ref fthe f "side rails. 1f desired, the removable point por-V tion 'iS'inay be providedon `the under side thereof With 'recesses 37, 38, "in "order to effect-aA saving in Weight and material.

In practice, it i is found f that certain portions of the frog usually Wear much more vrapidly than other portions. In certain cases it may happen that the point of the frogwilll-'tvear out-land require replacement much more often than. do the side oriailv Wear portions. -Infcertaininstances, one-of the rail'vvear sections will require replace mentj much moreV often `th an the other. The structure herein disclosed permits the various JWear sections to replaced either separately or all 'at a time Without`v replacing tliefwhole" frog or even the central hard portion` of the frog, tlnis"effectingy a great saving inmaterial and also in `many in*i stances a great saving inthetime required for replacing-the Wornl section.

The'entire frog structure shown in Figures 12 to I17 islilie that" shown in Figures 1 to 11, except the weer members v'areremovable or replaceable asa ui'iitinstead of separately. .The parts will, therefore, be" ,iiidicated in Figures 12 toillbyftlie same reference charactersv primed,r are applied n to the Correspending parts in Figuresfil toll. y i i lThe railV members 10', 11', 12', 13', 114', and 15" of Figure" 12 are exactly the saine as thoselshown in Figure l1. The spacing menibers 28', '29' .and BO' of 'Figure 12 are also like 'those of "Figurey 1. Thusit avill be seen that the onlydiference betufeen the frog' of Figure 1 andthat of Figure "1,2 isfou'nd in the region ofthe replaeeable` members 18', 21' andI 22", By: referenceto Figures 13, 14,15 and 16, it. ivill beseeif that the removable point 18' andthe removable wear sections 21' and 22" 'oftlie rails are forinedlas an integral casting in the modi-- iicationshown in Figure lIntegral with the end portions of the innganesefrog ceuter is the saddleor supporting memberelf) which supports `the replaceable section and is provided with downwardly extending flanges 41, between which and" the rail menibers the flanges. SLL ofthe Wear insert are clamped. It is believed that the fornishotvu in *Fvig'ure l2 will be readily miderstoofd` Withoutfurther detailed descri'ptidu." "pi "lfh'e frog.showninFiguife 12 superior tothatshown inFigure 1, in thattheivear sections being all" formed. integral, they' may be more ,firmly secured in yposition"in the frog'. The modification ofilgiii'e"12;isinferiorgto'that' of :Figttne 11 in that'the in# dii'fiidual Wearsections, asthe'point "or the two side members, cannot 'be separately j replaced. 'i "y Vhile in the present `disclosure I `have shown'my inventron "zippliedto'a ra-ilfbdund frog, it is t0 be understood that it is eqily applicable to a frog which is not rail bound. It is also to be understood that I contemplate many modifications not herein shown or described. The invention, therefore, should be limited merely by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is newv and desire to secure by Lct- Y ters Patent of the United States is:

l. In combination, intersecting railroad rails, and a hard metal frog secured between said rails, said frog comprising two independently replaceable wear sections adjacent to the intersection of the wheel flangeways.

2. In combination, intersecting railroad rails, and a hard metal frog secured between said rails, said frog comprising a replaceable point and rail wear portions replaceable independently of said point on opposite sides respectively of said point and adjacent thereto. V

3. In combination, intersecting` railroad rails, and a hard metal frog secured between said rails, said frog comprising a replaceable point and separately replaceable rail wear portions on opposite sides respectively of said point and adjacent thereto.

4. In combination, intersecting railroad rails including wing rail portions, a hard metal frog inserted between said rails and wing portions, said frog comprising replaceable wear sections, and transverse bolts extending through aligned openings in said rails, frog, and wear sections.

5. In combination, intersecting' railroad rails, a hard metal frog inserted between said rails, said frog comprising` removable rail wear portionsadja-cent to the intersection of the wheel flangeways, flanges extending downwardly from said frog into engagement with the base flanges of said rails, and flanges extending downwardly from said removable rail portions between said frog flanges and the webs of said rails.

6. In combination, intersecting railroad rails, a hard metal frog inserted between said rails, said frog comprising a removable point, said frog having a recess in the upper surface thereof, the base of said point being secured within said recess.

7. In combination, intersecting railroad rails, a frog cooperating with said rails, said frog comprising a removable rail wear portion, a fla-nge extending downwardly from said frog into engagement with one of the base flanges of said rails, and a flange extending downwardly from said removable rail portion between said frog flange and the web of said rail.

s. In combination, intersecting railroad rails, a frog cooperating with said rails, said frog comprising a removable rail wear portion, a flange extending downwardly from said frog into engagement with the base flange of one of said rails, a flange extending downwardly from said removable rail portion between said frog flange and the web of said rail, and a bolt passing through aligned openings in said frog flange, said flange on the removable rail portion and the web of said rail.

9. In combination, intersecting railroad rails, a frog inserted between said rails, said frog comprising removable rail wear portions adjacent the intersection of the wheel flangeways, flanges extending from said frog into engagement with the base flanges of said rails, flanges extending downwardly from said removable rail portions into engagement with said base flanges between said frog flanges and the webs of said rails, and bolts passing through aligned openings in said frog flanges, the flanges on said removable rail portions and the webs of said rails.

lO. In combination, intersecting railroad rails, a frog cooperating with said rails, said frog comprising a removable point and a removable rail wear portion adjacent to the intersection of the wheel flangeways, said frog having a recess in the upper surface thereof, the base of said removable point being secured within said recess, a flange on said frog extending downwardly into engagement with the base flange of one of said rails, and a flange extending downwardly from said removable wear portions between said frog flange and the web of said rail.

11. In combination, intersecting railroad rails having base flanges, a frog cooperating with said rails, and a replaceable rail wear portion having a flange extending down and bearing directlyv 0n the base flange of one of said rails.

12. In combination, intersecting railroad rails, a frog inserted between said rails, said frog comprising a removable point, said frog having a recess in the upper surface thereof, the base of said point being secured wit-hin said recess, and a bolt passing through said frog and through the portion of said removable point disposed within said recess.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 13th day of May, 1924.

PAUL HOFFMAN.

Witnesses:

EDNA V. GUs'rArsoN, HELEN G Dramen,

downwardly 

